Global Europe: re-uniting the world in times of global upheaval: Eurisy at the 20th ESPI Annual Conference

Between 19 and 20 October 2026, Eurisy took part in ESPI’s 20th annual conference, “Aspirations for a new era”, contributing to the discussion on Europe’s role as an international partner and the contribution of space cooperation to global challenges. The conference took place at the Liechtenstein Palace in Vienna and brought together key stakeholders to explore Europe’s position in a changing geopolitical landscape.  

How can Europe strengthen its strategic autonomy while remaining a trusted international partner? This question shaped the discussions in the panel “Global Europe: re-uniting the world in times of global upheaval”, where Eric Morel de Westgaver, President of Eurisy, was a panelist examining Europe’s credibility as an international partner and how space cooperation can help address global challenges, alongside Simonetta Cheli (ESA), Walther Pelzer (Director General of DLR) and Carlos Garcia Sacristán (Head of International Relations Relations at the Spanish Space Agency). 

The discussion highlighted the importance of strategic autonomy and how diverse international partnerships strengthen Europe’s resilience and its ability to make independent decisions, particularly in areas such as climate monitoring, where continuous Earth observation depends on sustained collaboration. 

For Eurisy, cooperation must also translate into tangible benefits for society. Reliable data and advanced technologies create value when they reach the right users, meet their needs and support practical decisions. Eric Morel de Westgaver stressed that moving beyond isolated pilots projects require sustained community building, supported by international cooperation. He also highlighted the importance of cross sectoral collaboration, bringing space and non-space actors together to build partnerships and foster the uptake of space solutions. He pointed to local success stories, such as flood response in Liège, and cross-sectoral cooperation as ways to strengthen trust and encourage the uptake of space solutions. 

Eurisy’s message is clear: Europe’s strength in space depends not only on the systems and data it develops, but also on its ability to build trust, communities and cross-sectoral partnerships and turn space solutions into societal benefits. 

At the 20th ESPI Annual Conference, we were also pleased to see Eric Morel de Westgaver, Eurisy President and Director for Strategy, Legal and External Affairs at the European Space Agency (ESA), being recognised for his contributions to ESPI and European space policymaking.